The FTSE 100 Index Closes 0.30% Higher

The FTSE 100 closed about 0.2% up at 10,466 on Friday, the highest since April 22, supported by a degree of stabilization in global markets, while investors assessed the likelihood of a US-Iran agreement. Traders also mulled a bigger-than-expected drop in UK retail sales and higher-than-expected borrowing figures, which along with other data released this week, reduced expectations of a rate hike by the Bank of England. Among key movers, Games Workshop advanced nearly 8% to the top of the index after guiding for higher revenue and profit for the year to May, while expecting weaker licensing revenue. Other top gainers included Rightmove (7.3%), Croda International (4.3%), Metlen Energy & Metals (3.6%) and Rolls-Royce Holdings (3.4%). Convatec (-3.2%), BP (-2.5%) and Experian (-2%) were the biggest laggards. For the week, the index booked a 2.7% gain.

The FTSE 100 Index gained 31 points or 0.30 percent on Friday to close at 10474 points. Gains were led by Rightmove (7.22%), Croda International (5.44%) and Easyjet Plc (4.34%). Biggest losers were BP (-2.73%), Convatec Group (-2.36%) and Fresnillo (-2.12%).

The FTSE 100 rose 0.4% to 10,490 on Friday, its highest level since April 21, positioning the index for a 2.8% weekly gain as investors grew more optimistic about progress in US-Iran peace negotiations. US Senator Marco Rubio cited "some good signs" in the talks, though Tehran’s uranium stockpile and control over the Strait of Hormuz remain key obstacles. Meanwhile, a batch of fresh UK economic data painted a mixed picture: April retail sales slumped 1.3%, nearly double the forecasted 0.6% decline, driven by a sharp drop in fuel sales amid rising prices, while consumer confidence in May showed a slight improvement, beating expectations. The UK’s budget deficit widened to £24.3 billion, exceeding the £20.9 billion estimate. Together with earlier reports of weak inflation, a softening jobs market, and May PMI signaling private sector contraction, the figures prompted traders to scale back bets on Bank of England interest rate hikes.